California DoT Nixes Public Display of American Flag, Calls it “Impermissible Public Expression”

This boggles my mind. Only in California could madness like this happen.. The Dept. of Transportation in that state nixed the display of the American
flag at a memorial dedicated to our servicemen and the military. The panel that made the decision demanded "viewpoint neutrality". What the hell is
that, and how can you detect and enforce it???

Can someone please tell me what world we live in when we cannot erect our own American flag because it might upset some people?

In the town of Orcutt, California, thousands of dollars in donations have been gathered to create a monument to fallen soldiers and the branches of
our military. The memorial would go between "a highway exit and a park-and-ride lot;" a pole would rise out of the center and display the American
flag.

The California Department of Transportation was okay with the plan... that is, until it was revealed that our nation's flag would be flying. When
CalTrans heard, they stymied the effort, declaring the display of an American flag an "impermissible act of “public expression.”"

The panel that ruled that the American flag could not be displayed demanded "viewpoint neutrality" at the monument. In other words, they declared
it illegal to solely fly the US flag, stating that other flags must also have the right to be flown at the memorial, be it "the British flag, the
Nazi flag, or the Jolly Rogers."

Wow. California needs to stop drinking the Progressive-Aide. The American flag is representative of ALL cultures within America. It is, by definition,
inclusive of every one of the 320 million Americans living in our borders. The only people that could possibly be offended by it are those that
stand against America.

I guess we should make it illegal to sing the national anthem too while we're at it.
Nothing surprises me anymore. As Watts said above, America is stupid.
And people wonder why the whole world laughs at us.

Cal-Trans = the Cali-ban: There is something wrong with the concept of what Cal-Trans is using as an arguement for suppressing the display of the US
flag. Cal-Trans being part of the Cali-ban, DON'T get to make that call because they aren't the "law", although you get the impression that they
think they are. But when you dealing with a moraly bankrupt, corrupt, intellectually stunted organization like the California state government, you
come to expect this kind of nonsense behaviour. The really funny part is, they actually believe that they have an obligation to make the world a
better place. The horrible truth is that they can't even make California a better place, that's why people are leaving California. Smart people.

California has such an extremist side. They try to spread it to other places... rules for this, rules for that, rules!!!! No freedom, just rules.
Sad to say, it's mostly working on the West Coast. Perhaps they would be more happy to join Mexico and fly that flag.

Am i the only one who has a very hard time believing this, or believing that it is this cut and dry?

There has to be something else to it.

A) IS this public property? If so, how can the DOT legally prohibit the flying of the American ? They can't.

B) "Whose" property if it? This is a valid question because the DOT is for transportation, so unless it is on an easement...

C) They said

In other words, they declared it illegal to solely fly the US flag, stating that other flags must also have the right to be
flown at the memorial,

[emphasis added]

No one ever said that other flags could NOT fly. So, the American flag CAN fly, just if another person/group wishes to fly another flag it must also
be allowed.

Essentially, the American flag can be flown, and it can be flown legally by itself until someone else wants to fly another flag, whereupon that flag
must also be allowed. Either all of none. I think i agree with that. Kinda like the whole ten commandments in the courthouse thing: if you display
them, you also allow other religions' creeds to be displayed. Pretty simple.

I see nowhere where other flags do not have the right if someone chooses to fly it, and it seems to be someone--somehow--saying only an American flag
should be flown and no other, hence the telling quotation above.

Equal opportunity. What's so wrong with that? Or are we that nationalistically selfish? I could understand if someone wanted to fly a Nazi flag, so
maybe it's for the better, so we do not have to deal with Nazis and KKK and etc...

Somebody is twisting stuff around.

If the DOT, or whoever, says that other flag do not have the right to be flown, which then means the US flag cannot be flown by default because of
equal opportunity, then something is not getting said or reported.

There is some part of the story/situation that is not being told, here. Think about it.

American Troops dying in wars for America. Not Brits, French, Germans, or any of our friends from South America, or Canada... But Americans. Why
would anyone who find it wrong to support the symbol of freedom that men and women are dying for, everyday, supporting the right to fly that flag?

He left for a better paying job at this place contracostacouncil.com...
.. which.. I cant really figure out what the hell they do ?
Probably a lobbyist or something. Seems like a corporation to funnel money..

Actually there is more to this. In 2003 people were hanging political signs and banners, as well as American flags on overpasses. CalTrans began
removing the signs, but they left the flags. In Brown v. California Department of Transportation it was decided by the Kalifornia Supreme Court
that what CalTrans was doing was in violation of the 1st Amendment:

So now CalTrans is applying that ruling to this issue. The problem here is twofold:

1) The ruling was wrong. Never in the history of the American flag has it been ruled that flying it under any circumstances can be construed as
violating free speech. I'm not talking about wearing shirts with the flag, or painting a house. Nor am I talking about how the flag is flown.
I'm talking about displaying the flag itself. That ruling needs to be appealed. But good with that in Kalifornia.

2) They are applying the court decision wrongly. This monument is clearly an American symbol, meant to honor America and its military heroes. This is
not some right-wing propaganda tool meant to inflame any race or country, but to honor and respect America.

Well if they won't allow it to be hung, perhaps they would allow it to be burned instead? Time for a flag burning to find out. How can you desecrate
something that is not even allowed? This would make for an interesting controversy. Anyone in california have a spare flag and match?

This makes me want to take leave and fly home. Just so I could take an american flag and raise it there. I would love to see the cops take me down
while in uniform. Then again don't want to go to federal prision or be court martialed.

But this doesn't surprise me. Kali is one of the most communistic states in the union. To show any national pride is a Taboo or will get you shot in
some areas.

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